Improvement in wood pavements



P. H. MCCAULEY.

Wuod Pavements UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK I-I. MGUAULEY, OF MILVAUKEE, YISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN WOOD PAVEMENTS.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 152,299, dated June 23, 1874; application led January 15, 1874. d

To all whom i may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. McGAU- LEY, of Milwaukee, county ot' Milwaukee, State of I'Visconsin, have invented a new and Improved Foundation for Vood Pavements; and declare the following to be such a full, clear, and exact description thereof as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in isometric projection of my in'iln'ovement. Fig. 2 is a cross-section.

My invention relates to the foundations ot' pavements formed from blocks otl wood; and consists in a series of lateral and longitudinal strin gers fastened together, and having the interstices filled in and tamped with sand, as will be hereinafter set forth and claimed.

a a a, are strin gers extending crosswise ot' the street and curved to suit the grades ofthe intended road-bed. They are composed of material sufficient in size to sustain and form a staple bearing for the longitudinal strips that are placed thereon. Material three inches by six inches or two inches by four inches will answer ordinarily. These cross-stringers are situated at suitable distances apart dependent on the strain they are to receive in use, say from four feet to eight feet, and sand is then iilled in between them and tamped, sufficient being used to ll up the spaces even with the top of the cross-stringers. Upon these stringers are then placed the longitudinal strips b b,

which should be placed about six inches apart,

dependent on the size of the blocks to be used, and the interstices tilled up and tamped with sand. The strips b b should be ot' suflicient strength, dependent ou the strains they are to receive; but one inch by three inches will ordinarily answer.

After the foundation has been thus prepared, the pavement may be laid thereon :in any of the usual ways, as the foundation is equally adapted to all styles of blocks, and all methods of setting them. The longitudinal strips are usually made to extend, so as to bear upon at least three of the cross-bearings, and are secured to theln by nails.

This foundation is designed to prevent the unequal settling of the blocks, and the liability to settle at the middle, and thus crowd toward the gutters, and it also forms afound ation upon which the blocks can rest without the liability of rapid decay.

In order to prevent the contact of wood against wood, the sand tamping between the stringers b b may be carried up, so as to form a thin layer or coating between the blocks and stringers b b.

Wlhat I claim is- The foundation for wood pavements composed of sills a, placed crosswise of the street, longitudinal strips b, placed upon them in the manner set forth, and the interstices filled and tamped to the top level with sand, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

PATRICK H. MCCAULEY. Vitnesses:

1t. K. ADAMS, JOHN I. THOMPSON. 

